I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

"His Majesty came to an appointment yesterday."

"How do you know?"

"Rumors are creeping. It is natural."

My father put down the cup and looked at me anxiously.

"I can imagine how uncomfortable it was. I had to go with you."

"It's okay. After all, we will not meet with him anyway. You can already forget about yesterday."

"Ellie."

Contrary to what I said to my father, that voice that had called my name yesterday was now ringing in my ears.

I wanted to erase him from my memory, and looked at my father.

"Good. If you… Don't worry about anything."

"Yes, Father, is the ship to the Kingdom of Lund ready yet?"

"It's not safe in the seas lately… I think it would be smart to let one ship pass and see if it gets there."

"When is the next one?"

"After two days."

"Two days?"

I was amazed at what my father said.

I thought I would leave much later, but not in two days.

I thought about a month later.

‘It's fast, but it’s difficult to find a safe ship. I still have to leave… It's even better if it happens sooner.’

I was worried about my life in the Lund Kingdom, but I was also worried about my father, who would be left alone after my departure.

My father called my name when I sat in silence, because my heart felt heavy.

"Ellie."

"…Yes."

"Don’t worry about me. Think about your child. It's always hard to raise a baby alone."

Me and a child.

A lonely woman in a foreign country.

But I'll do my best.

I promised this and put my hand on my belly. My father told me:

"Ellie, are you ready to sail in two days?"

"Yes."

* * *

Emperor's palace.

A middle-aged man with blond hair stood in front of the emperor's office.

"Your Majesty, Marquis Sios requests an audience."

"Let him in."

The office door opened and Marquis Sios walked in, immediately feeling the pressure.

"Hail His Majesty the Emperor, Empire Sun."

"Rise, marquis."

Marquis rose slowly, but Raymond's gaze was still fixed on the papers.

Raymond did not take his eyes off the papers and asked the Marquis Sios.

"Why did you come to me?"

"That is…"

Finally, Raymond looked away from the papers and turned to the crumpled marquis.

Seeing the emperor's gaze on him the marquis coughed violently.

"Didn't you ask for an audience because you have something to say?"

"Yes."

"Don’t wait for the command and spread it. I'm not that strict emperor."

Marquis Sios, shocked by Raymond's words, soon dropped to one knee and spoke.

"…Your Majesty, please secure Lisa the right to the throne."

Raymond's eyebrows rose sharply at the words of the marquis.

"Marquis, this is none of your business."

"Sire. The throne of the Empress shouldn’t be empty for long. It may be ridiculous, but I feel that my daughter Lisa is the best fit for the throne. She is also the mother of His Majesty's only successor. If Your Majesty cares a little about the prince, please think about it."

Marquis pleaded with him, banging his head on the floor. However, Raymond only looked at the marquis with a cold face.

"There hasn't been an official announcement yet. But yes, he will be a prince."

The Marquis flinched at Raymond's voice, which was mixed with mockery.

"How long has passed since the empress left the palace, and you already ask to put a new one? I wonder if there is any subtext in this impatience?"

Raymond's voice was low, but there was poison in every word.

Marquis' shoulders trembled.

After all, Marquis knew how much blood Raymond's sword absorbed, even though now the country lives in peace.

"I think I was too hasty, Your Majesty. Please forgive my rudness."

Marquis retreated.

‘I still didn't think I could get a definite answer today.’

‘I just came to appear to the emperor.’

‘As if he would not now send me under the executioner's ax.’

Marquis was a little embarrassed by the emperor's reaction, which turned out to be sharper than expected, but he quickly retreated, because his goal was achieved.

"Stand up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"This will be the last time I close my eyes to your wrongdoing. Don't do any more stupid things."

"…I'll keep it in mind."

"Leave now."

When the marquis left the office, Raymond exhaled in exasperation.

Rebuke about an empty throne…

He knew this.

He knew that the throne shouldn’t be empty. And the best person right now is Lisa.

But he didn't want to think about her.

Something burned inside when he thought that someone else would enter Ellie's palace.

It wasn't just out of anger.

It must be because he got used to the former empress a lot.

Raymond drew a difficult conclusion.

"But it's' too late."

She had already divorced him and even found another.

Raymond remembered the platinum-haired man he had seen last night.

His good looks and this look of him towards Ellie.

How she danced with this man and smiled.

When I remembered this scene, heat rushed into my heart. My head burst into flames, and I could not stand the anger.

Why am I so angry?

It was anger that he could not understand.

I have never seen anything like it.

And if you look back, I have never seen another person next to Ellie.

Because I was the only man in the world for her.

Ellie was suddenly different. Just like that.

It used to be natural for Ellie to always look at me alone.

And yesterday she gave out something new, unfamiliar to me.

Yesterday I couldn't control my feelings just because it was weird how she pretended we didn't know each other.

"It's hot, open all the windows."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Raymond turned away from his feelings, and again delved into the documents.

* * *

"Are you tired, lady?"

"I'm okay."

I took off my cloak and answered Helen.

In the morning I went to get supplies on the road, checked the cabin of the ship I was about to board, and returned to the Duke's residence.

I did everything quickly, but when I returned to the estate, it was after sunset.

Helen anxiously asked:

"Shouldn't we send for a doctor?"

"No, everything is okay. If it was bad, I would immediately feel."

I sat down on the sofa, gently stroking my stomach.

"Do you take a lot with you?"

"I will only take what I brought today."

"If we sail there, we will not return. Is there a lot of luggage?"

"It won't be useless to take things like clothes. The climate is very different from ours."

Unlike the empire with four seasons, the Lund kingdom was a cold country with low temperatures all year round.

"Then I'll make dinner."

"Helen."

"Yes?"

"Perhaps… Was there any news that the imperial family credited Edmund with the bloodline?"

After meeting Raymond at Edmund's birthday party, I did not read the newspapers so as not to see the news related to the imperial family.

However, Edmund's birthday party was over and Raymond was there, so it would be right to announce the Crown Prince's appointment now.

…Along with the new empress.

But Helen shook her head.

"No, there was no news from the palace in today's newspaper."

"…Yes? Good. Come out."

If you came that day, doesn't it mean that you have already made a decision?

Although I thought it was strange, on the other hand, I was relieved that I didn't have to hear the news that Lisa and Edmund had entered the imperial family. At least before I leave.

"My baby we can leave quietly. Everything will be fine."

If I get hurt, my child gets hurt.

I smiled and stroked my belly before opening the book on the Lund Kingdom.